Newcastle United face four-way transfer battle for in-demand French defender

Newcastle United find themselves in a four-way transfer battle as they look to land French defender Evan Ndicka.

The Magpies are long-term admirers of the Bundesliga star, who starred in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Europa League-winning campaign last season.

And his form has alerted a number of club’s to a potential move for the player, known for his agressive defensive style.

The 23-year-old centre-half is capped at every youth level by his country, having started his career at Auxerre.

And while the Magpies hold a keen interest, so too do Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

However, according to reports in Italy, two Serie A sides could enter the fray when trading reopens for European clubs on January 1, 2023.

Serie A duo interested

As per Italian outlet Romagiallorossa, both AS Roma, managed by Jose Mourinho, and AC Milan, who fought the Magpies hard in a failed bid to land Premier League breakout star Sven Botman, are looking into the prospect of a winter window move.

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe will continue his evolution not revolution mantra into the January window, with the club not looking to spend big in the next window.

However, a central defender could be of interest in the medium-term, given the age of Fabian Schar and a desire to upgrade on the likes of Paul Dummett, who finds himself out-of-contract in the summer.